Back it Up …or Not

When parking a motorcycle with a group we do what the riders ahead of us do because normally the riders ahead are following the directions of the Road Captains. Most of the time the Road Captains will have pre-planned the parking situation and will work with event coordinators for the best place and safest way to park a large group of bikes for an event. Pre-planning a parking spot for a large group will help determine if the bikes should be pulled in fender to fender, or parked side by side, backed into a curb, or even pulled forward into the curb if it’s uphill.
Do you sometimes wonder why most of the time motorcycles back into parking spaces rather than park parallel, or just pull in forward? It isn’t to make a fast getaway if need be as some may think, and it didn’t evolve from us old bikers leaving a bar too drunk to back up our scooters. It came about because the crown of most streets lean toward the curb for drainage, and bikers not wanting to push their scooters backwards uphill to leave a parking spot. Backing in will also make it easier for you to see traffic when you leave. Some of us found out (the hard way) that parallel parking on the street like a car your kickstand will hold the bike straight up and possibly cause the bike to fall onto the right side.
The quickest and most efficient way to park a large group that arrives together is to park them fender to fender in double rows. The problem with this is that you will most likely be blocked in until the group moves, but that’s OK because you are riding together anyway. Some think this fender to fender parking stuff takes up more room, but this is an illusion. Most motorcycles will take up a 3’ X 6’ foot space when parked and if you park two bikes in line or side by side you have taken up a 6’ x 6’ foot space. On a group ride where the arriving group is humongous and will be parking in a big parking lot it just makes sense to park everyone end to end. The last bikes in line could have a meltdown waiting for everyone to back in.
If many bikes are coming at different times they should back in because it gives each bike the ability to leave at different times, such as parking in Sturgis. Use your four-ways if you have them when setting up your scooter to back into the curb and let traffic know you are backing up. When you set up to back up pull ahead until the rear of your scooter lines up with the spot you wish to back into. You can then back up straight without a pull up. When backing into an ideal parking spot your rear tire should be lower, or at least level with the front tire. Parking with the rear tire higher than the front tire could cause kickstand failure on some rides and makes parking 800lbs of love a headache.
If you are uncomfortable parking with a group, or where the group is parking remember it is still ‘ride your own ride’. If the Road Captain is making everyone back in uphill on loose rocks someone hasn’t done their homework, and like your Mom said about following everyone over a cliff, it’s up to you. Pushing iron backwards uphill isn’t fun, combine a loose surface and a Rider could break a leg or pull a muscle. Safety First Grasshopper…
John ‘Hammer’ Hanzlik
ALR Road Captain
Post 1 Omaha Ne